Until Death Do Us Apart

Let Me Enlighten You

I hear a light banging on my door the very next day. It’s awfully early. Is it still night? It’s dark outside. I feel I haven’t got much sleep last night.

“Who is it?” I ask half asleep and rub my eyes while yawing.

“Yara,” I hear Sophia’s voice, “put your clothes on and meet me in 5 minutes near the staircase.

This process will hurt. My body is bruised and black clothes are too tight. I’m glad to be alive, but breathing and moving hurts. I don’t even know what time is it since my laptop and my phone had “mysteriously” disappeared.

I open the door and Sophia looks annoyed.

“Where the heck are you? It’s already 6 minutes,” she whispers, because she doesn’t want to wake up anybody. “Come on!” Her voice sounds superior. She must be used to give orders.

Why haven’t I seen it earlier?

“Can I get a minute for the toilet?” I politely object towards her command.

I’m still free human being with certain freedom.

“You have 30 seconds,” she announces with no compromise.

Da heck? I’m not your peasant and you’re certainly not my queen. You’re my friend (?) and I know you mean it in a good way, but I don’t like being told what to do. Next time I'll pee on your shoe.

I would like to tell her something, but I understand I need to learn first and then I can open my mouth freely so I go.

When I’m finished with my business Sophia leads me to an unknown part of the mansion. I should really explore it, but I’m always too tired to even try. What a pity! This building must be full of secret corridors and chambers.

“There,” she breaths out and turns the light on.

I see a small storage with boxes, nothing of a great significance.

“This will be our place. We’ll train here together every day before the official training starts and after it ends. Every day for two hours,” she announces and no objections can be raised.

So many questions burn me at the top of my tongue, but I don’t wish to speak and say them out loud.

“Every day during our training, I will tell you more about our world and you will answer my every question with the truth and truth only.”

I should bite my tongue and agree to this offer, I won’t probably receive a better one, but who would I be if I just didn’t be me.

I should consider buying a tombstone. I think they've advertised two for the price of one.

“First, princess,” I start, because I’m fed with everything that happened in the last few days.

Although I’ve promised myself to be a good, shy and obedient girl, I’m not able to do that. Sophia is clearly taken back by my words.

“I’m not part of your world yet and even though I truly appreciate your offer I must say I’m not an obedient person and I certainly won’t obey your orders or anyone else’s. Second, I can speak the truth and I will even if it hurts and it’s uncomfortable, but I cherish my freedom above all. I won’t bow to anyone so you can rely on me as your equal partner who would always tell what she thinks, however I will not be forced to anything. Third, I decide for myself what I will or will not do or say. Take it or leave it.”

Despite of the fact that Sophia is the heir to the throne she is astonished. I see the battle in her mind. She wants me to be her soldier, to have power over me and to rule me, but she is tempted by my words and by my sincere approach.

Hard choice.

“I’m still waiting for you to ask so many things, but you chose to stay quiet and rather name your conditions. Brave and foolish enough, nonetheless I do appreciate it, you know. People in my world would not dare to speak with me in the manner you’ve just did. There’re so many things you don’t know about the world.” Sophia’s voice is severe and her royal attitude is strongly recognizable. “But,” she pauses, “I wish to have an honest person around me so I accept your conditions, furthermore I’ll enlighten you into our world’s matters even though they should stay hidden.”

I’m quite amazed. I didn’t assume she would have accepted it. I know I should have stayed quiet; because royals and all kind of the high and the mighty play a dangerous game and honesty is not going in one hand with power and their usual policies.

I guess that simple truth is sometimes enough.

“I’ll teach you everything I know, especially how to fight and how to defeat your target, whoever might that be,” Sophia cheerfully announces.

Whoever might that be? What kind of rubbish is that?

“How long am I going to have to be at the Academy?” I fire my question at her.

“Finally,” she sighs, “I thought you’d never asked anything and I’d have to do all the talking.”

You're quite capable of doing that, Soph, you should admit this fact.

She’s real pain in the ass, but I must admit I’m quite fond of her company.

“You’ll train for two years most likely, during this period you’re supposed to go to the field occasionally, face a real threat and deal with it,” Sophia remarks.

“So you basically say they hand me a gun and I’m going to do the dirty work for them,” I laugh desperately.

“Oh, Yara, you still presume that humans are your only targets…” her voice diminishes until it’s consumed by silence.

Wait… Did she just say humans?

“Have you ever wondered why you of all people had been chosen to attend this institution? No one else except you has been accepted and I bet they were better fighters, skilled warriors, IT specialists or simply better candidates.” Her face is expressionless. I can’t resist the feeling of coldness stealing my body heat.

“Not even a tiny doubt about this, little Yara?” she squeezes her fingers while smiling surreptitiously.

Chill goes down my spine, but somehow a part of me wants to acquire the answer from her.

“So, what do you possess which they do not?” she hisses like a lizard. “What is so special about you? And why they’re so ordinary even though they study at a posh university?”

“You tell me!” I’m tired of all the secrets. Just tell me, Sophia!

“Well, Yara, the secret is in your blood.”

“In my blood?”

Is she serious?

“The very essence of it,” Sophia purrs like a cat. She must have caught my annoyed look so she continues with her normal voice. “Yes, your blood levels are special, dummy. Let me tell you a story,” she starts with her lecturing.

“I presume you’ve heard about supernatural, witches, vampires, Fae and so on.” Sophia looks me in the face. “Heh, don’t give me that look like I’m the one who’s insane,” she laughs. “Maybe this will persuade you better than my words,” she remarks while pushing a button which I hadn’t even noticed. Secret door reveals itself out of a blue. I descend the staircase together with Sophia. The light is dimmed here. When there’re no more stairs she turns the light on and I can barely catch my breath.

This room is stuffed with books, symbols, weapons I’ve never seen before. They seem to be ancient. I want to ask her something but she silences me and waves at me to follow her. This place gives me goose bumps. She opens massive door (vault-like door) and then she turns on the light again.

We’re in some kind of prison. I see a lot of special cells and this is not even the end of all this. There’s a creature in every cell. My first reaction is utter fear, then, when fright disappears, I just can’t force myself to believe it. When you hear of vampires or werewolves, they’re just words, just letters on a paper and nothing more, not living and breathing creatures from flesh and blood.

I can see vampires who hiss at me while smelling my blood. Lust is deeply rooted in their eyes. Werewolves growl at me while trying to reach me with their sharp claws. Then I notice a man whose hands are wooden twigs, his hair is a green grass, but other than that he looks like a human. His smile shows his razor sharp teeth. Other cells hold “normal” people with completely black eyes or silver shining eyes. The last two cells are darkened. I know somebody is in there.

“Don’t go any closer,” Sophia warns me. “Unfortunately, our prison doesn’t have any mermaid and we have also no witch here. They’re hard to catch and even harder to imprison.”

“Who…” I’m unable to create a meaningful sentence. “Who are all these, hmm… creatures?”

“Most of them are criminals, rogues,” she informs me. “Killers and serious crime committers are locked in a different place.” Sophia laughs when seeing my face. “Don’t worry; other members of their race are usually civilized. These ones are locked for a good reason.”

I can’t help but wonder. They may look bad, but this feels odd. They seem more of lab rats than prisoners. Even though they’re different, furious and beasty, I pity them.

“Why’re they here? And what exactly is in the last two cells?”

“They’re here, because we want them to be here. They serve as a testing material,” Sophia says in a loud manner as she’d wish to clarify it.

It sounds like Dr. Mengele operates here and I had though I'm screwed. This is just wicked.

“We usually need only their blood,” she explains. “To answer your second question, the creatures locked in the last two cells are ghouls.”

It’s a lot to take in. Ten minutes ago, I thought this was only some kind of a sick joke. Who would have imagined that?

“So,” I exhale overwhelmed with what I’ve just seen with my own eyes, “vampires and werewolves, mermaids, ghouls, witches, Fae, angels and demons?” To say it out loud is bizarre enough, but to witness it, this is the whole new level of fuc*ing weirdness.

“Yep, all real. I just though showing you would save me a lot of time,” Sophia giggles unnaturally happy.

It certainly did.

“You mentioned my blood is special…” I start, but I’m not able to finish it. The simple thinking about the situation makes me want to throw up.

“Oh yes, but at first let’s get out of here,” Sophia commands.

I can barely move.

“Seriously, Yara,” Sophia grumbles, “we’re not supposed to be here, so move your ass. FAST!” she barks out.

When we’re upstairs and all the doors are closed I exhale deeply. My body hurts and my mind is restless. Sophia thinks I’m just shaking with fear, but that’s not true. The locked creatures are still on my mind.

“Let me enlighten you, Yara,” Sophia states coldly. “You’ve been accepted to this place, because of what circulates in your veins. Certain percentage of your blood contains special features, I mean supernatural ones. It can be a drop of blood or more, but there’re always particular inclinations which I’ll explain later. The key fact is that you can access supernatural abilities through your blood and cell memory. This academy will teach you how to do that.”

Oh my, I’ll need time to process this.

“Graduates from The Last Place are some kind of Special Forces, aka supernatural police. Some species hate other particular ones more than the others. For example, when we have somebody with the blood of a vampire he or she hunts down werewolves later on, and vice versa. Angels hunts demons, mermaid chases ghouls; and Fae or fairies hunts down witches and the other way around. Let’s say that species guards their opposites very tightly. Rivalry has been, is and always be there. Each species lives in a certain group. Werewolves live in packs, vampire in clans, witches in covens and so on. They don’t usually interact with each other unless they have to. We, graduates of the Last Place, guard peace amongst all races.”

Sophia’s words are like an avalanche.

“I’m wondering, what your inclination will be,” Sophia smiles suspiciously.

“What?” I blurt out, because my brain will probably explode.

“Witch’s and angel’s blood is much rarer than blood of the other races. Ava’s blood inclination is demonic… we’ll see, dear Yara,” Sophia smiles surreptitiously.

“Towards what does your blood incline?” I voice my own thoughts.

Sophia is clearly not very happy with my question, but it doesn’t surprise her either.

“Yara, a war almost broke out more than three hundred years ago. Many creatures died back then. Both royal bloodlines have been nearly wiped out because of their dominance over all races. My family had been slain, executed and murdered in cold blood. My both parents were slaughtered. The male bloodline was nearly massacred, there’s only one of them left. I was the only one who survived. I’m the last descendant of the female royal bloodline. Because of my blood, I’m continuously in danger. I’ve survived more attempts of my assassinations than you can even imagine.”

Three hundred years ago? I know I shouldn’t ask about a woman’s age, but how old are you, Sophia? And what the actual…

“But why?” I demand an answer.

“It’s because the royal bloodline can shapeshift.” Sophia’s face is an unreadable mask. “Their, my, blood features consist of all eight races and they can access abilities from each race. Their abilities are also way stronger. When a one with a royal blood faces for example an ordinary werewolf it’s as if a werewolf faced a lycan. Royals are ten times stronger than usual individuals.”

That would explain why everybody is so scared of Sophia and why anybody didn’t dare to hurt me. If I imagine that she could end my life with just one breath…

The important question still flies in the air nonetheless.

What is my inclination and how do I find out?